Module 1: Self-Assessment & Awareness

Foundation for healthcare professional wellness

30 min
Duration
4
Lessons
FREE
Always

1 Understanding Burnout vs Stress

As a healthcare professional, you face unique challenges that can lead to both acute stress and chronic burnout. Understanding the difference is crucial for maintaining your wellbeing and providing quality patient care.

Acute Stress

  • • Short-term response to immediate challenges
  • • Can actually improve performance
  • • Manageable with coping strategies
  • • Energy returns after stressor passes
  • • Examples: Emergency situations, difficult procedures

Burnout

  • • Chronic emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion
  • • Develops over months or years
  • • Leads to detachment from work and patients
  • • Affects personal life and relationships
  • • Requires systematic intervention

The Three Dimensions of Burnout

Emotional Exhaustion

Feeling drained and emotionally depleted

Depersonalization

Cynical attitudes toward patients and work

Reduced Achievement

Feeling ineffective and unsuccessful

2 Personal Wellness Self-Assessment

Complete this honest self-assessment to understand your current wellness level and identify areas that need attention.

Quick Burnout Assessment

Rate each statement from 1 (Never) to 5 (Always):

1. I feel emotionally drained by my work

2. I have trouble sleeping due to work stress

3. I feel less compassionate toward patients than I used to

4. Work stress affects my personal relationships

5. I question whether my work makes a difference

3 Healthcare-Specific Risk Factors

Healthcare professionals face unique stressors that other professions don't encounter. Understanding these helps you recognize when you're at risk.

Environmental Stressors

Long Shifts & Overtime

Extended hours without adequate rest periods

Staffing Shortages

Higher patient ratios and increased workload

High-Stakes Environment

Life-and-death decisions with little margin for error

Emotional Stressors

Patient Suffering & Loss

Witnessing pain, trauma, and death regularly

Ethical Dilemmas

Complex moral decisions in patient care

Compassion Fatigue

Emotional exhaustion from caring for others

Key Insight

Recognizing these risk factors isn't about changing your profession—it's about developing specific strategies to thrive within it. The next modules will give you practical tools to manage these unique challenges.

4 Building Self-Awareness Practices

Self-awareness is your first line of defense against burnout. These simple practices help you tune into your mental and physical state throughout your workday.

The 2-Minute Check-In

Set a phone reminder for every 2 hours during your shift. Ask yourself:

Physical Check

  • • How tense are my shoulders?
  • • Am I holding my breath?
  • • When did I last eat or drink water?

Emotional Check

  • • What am I feeling right now?
  • • How's my energy level?
  • • Do I need a moment to reset?

End-of-Shift Reflection Journal

Spend 3 minutes after each shift writing brief notes:

Early Warning Signs Checklist

Check off any symptoms you've experienced in the past week:

If you checked 3+ items: Consider this a gentle signal to prioritize the wellness strategies in upcoming modules.

Module 1 Complete!

You've taken the first crucial step toward better wellness. Understanding your current state and risk factors sets the foundation for positive change.

Self-Assessment

Completed baseline evaluation

Awareness Built

Understand burnout vs stress

Tools Ready

Daily check-in practices